Who starts a band as a college student with friends from their hometown? Durham Daniel and Friends (actual band name in the works). While it is completely normal for kids to start bands throughout middle and high school as they begin the journey of discovering who they are- and sometimes even do quite well- it is not so normal for a group of guys to decide to reconsider old dreams of bright lights and screaming fans.
Whether they do it just for play or out of the genuine desire to become something one day, as they edge on turning twenty, friends, Durham, Ashton, and Quamé took the stage at an open mic night held at Palm Coast, a small coffee shop on Saint Simons Island, Georgia. The boys garnered some of the most cheers and pats on the back over the course of the night after playing just three songs.
While their set did not consist of any original pieces, it was not without hits. The boys began their set of three with Sublime’s “Badfish,” which nicely introduced the talents of the trio. From Quamé’s easy drum beats to Ashton’s cool guitar riffs both accompanying Durham’s slightly raspy voice, all the best parts of the groovy song were highlighted and given the space to breathe. It must be said that the execution of the song was not perfect, there were a few wavers and missteps to be noted, but on the whole, for a first public performance where nerves were sure to be running high, the boys did the song justice and set them up for success in their second song of the night.
“Babydoll” allowed the band to move away from their jitters and flex their musical muscles with the clever song choice which permitted the boys to give one another the chance to show off their talents to the crowd. In particular, Ashton’s brief guitar solo backed by Quamé’s skillful drumming proved that they aren’t just some pretty island boys with flowing locks and sunkissed skin, they really can hold a beat and carry a tune. Durham’s lead vocals served to give the tune the gritty and slightly hedonistic attitude it begs for.
Wrapping up their set was the classic, “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked” by none other than Cage the Elephant. Always a crowd favorite, this tune brought a small crowd of varying ages together in that keen way that only music truly can. By far, the boys chose to end their set with their strongest song, as each member of the band had all the best parts of their kit on display. For one, Durham’s voice shone through with its light husk that, similar to Cage's Matt Shultz, lends itself to compliment the construction of the lyrics in the song and the air of grit and dirty spunk it boasts. Ashton’s guitar greatly carried the boys through the song and lifted them to a respectable and admittedly impressive degree of juvenile professionalism. And of course, Quamé’s drumming was close to impeccable and gave the band the backbone they needed.
The Island Boys of Summer are far from hitting the main stage with a full set of original and well-polished songs, but their emerging talent cannot be denied. The primary critique I have is stage presence and confidence, which comes with time and practice. It's a note for all members, but a jovial and self-assured attitude goes a long way in bettering your appearance to those at your feet. If you think of any accomplished band, whether it be The Rolling Stones or the Arctic Monkeys, what makes them extraordinary is the quality of their performance capabilities beyond the music itself and it is the balance that they find between the stage, the crowd, themselves, and each other. It’s a symbiotic relationship that comes with time and a bit of trial, error, and patience. Like anything, a little goes a long way and too much of a good thing can make a turn for the worse, so it is important to take the comment and incorporate it bit by bit, but moving around on stage more, interacting with both the crowd and each other=allowing themselves to get lost in the music= would be sure to improve the performance quality.
That being said, the song selection was good and as a whole, the band is off to a promising start. Whether or not they wish to go anywhere moving forward is ultimately and entirely up to them, and they are frankly a bit late to the game of starting bands in their youth. That isn’t to say that if they do not set ego aside and surrender themselves to countless blisters, blood, sweat, and yes, tears, into it they cannot ever go anywhere in the future with this little summer experiment. What can be said is that the patrons of Palm Coast and the inhabitants of Saint Simons Island have a new group of boys in town who are adding some teenage angst to the budding music scene, and can be counted on for a least a few more invigorating open mic nights as the summer progresses.
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